Weed-cutter.



W. M. BROADY.

WEED GUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED Amm, 1912.

1,081,658, -Pfitfanted Deo. 16, 1913.

UNIFIED STATES FATENPF FFIQE.

WICKLIFF 1VI. BROADY, OF BROADWATER, NEBRASKA.

WERD-CUTTER.

LSLGS.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VVICKLIFF M. BROADY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Broadwater, in the county of Morrill and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l/Veed- Cutters, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention is a device for removing weeds and similar growths from the space alongside railroad tracks and from between the rails of the tracks.

rIhe invention seeks to provide a device which may be readily attached to a hand car, railroad velocipede, or similar vehicle and easily manipulated to project from the track rail so as to cut down the vegetable growths as the vehicle moves over the track.

The objects of the invention are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of my improved device in its operative position upon a hand car; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a socket which constitutes a guide for the device as it is moved along the track rails; Fig. 3 is a central detail vertical section of the socket shown in Fig. 2; Fig. l is a detail perspective view of the blade or cutter.

In carrying out my invention, I pivotally attach to the hand car or other vehicle l, at the r-ear end thereof, a blade-carrying arm Q, the upper end of which projects up to within convenient reach of the operator upon the hand car, while the lower end thereof is adapted to extend down to the track rail 3, as clearly shown. The lower end of the said arm is beveled, as indicated at il, and around said lower beveled end is secured a socket 5 having a depending lip o-r ange 6 which is adapted to engage the side of the track rail and thereby guide the device as the vehicle travels. To the side of the blade-carrying arm, near the lower end of the same, I secure the upturned end 7 of a blade 8 which may be of any stout light material, preferably metal, and is adapted to project laterally from the arm below the tread of the rail, so that, as the vehicle travels over the track, the blade will Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August G, 1912.

Patentedlec. f6, i913..

serial No. 713,653.

be drawn forcibly against the upstanding weeds and other plants and thereby cut down the same so that the track will be fre-ed of the obnoxious vegetation which tends to clog the wheels of the cars and also to make the tracks slippery so that accidents are liable to occur.

Wy device is exceedingly simple in its construction and may be applied at a triing cost and will be found thoroughly eliicient in use. rIhe blade may be easily bent or stamped out of a piece of sheet metal and will be used between the rails as well as at the side of the track. The upturned end 7 of the blade furnishes a secure support for the blade, while the intermediate portion 9 is bent outwardly and downwardly so as to clear the track rail and thereby bring the blade proper close to the road bed. When the vehicle is traveling over a clear, clean stretch of road, the upper end of the arm may be easily depressed and the blade thus raised to an inoperative position and, consequently, wear upon the device will be reduced to a minimum.

The blade-carrying arm may be attached at either end of the hand-car or other vehicle and in Fig. l of the drawings I have shown an arm at one side of the car having its blade arranged to cut the weedsl at the side of the track and an arm at the other side of the car having its blade arranged to cut the weeds between the track rails, the latter arm being illustrated in its raised inoperative position. It will be readily understood that either arm may be raised or lowered independently of the other or that both cutters may be used at the same time. When the cutters are provided at both sides of the car, as illustrated, the car may be run in one direction over a short stretch of the road so as to destroy the weeds at one side of leach track rail and then run back in the opposite direction, after being reversed, to destroy the weeds at the opposite sides of the track rails. rIhe depending guide lip 6, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, bears against the side of the head of the track rail so that the device may be more easily held in proper' position upon the rail and the tendency of the blade to swing rearwardly when encountering large, thick, or tough weeds or other plants will be effectually resisted. li/Ioreo-ver, this lip by riding closely against the side of the rail head removes therefrom all particles of out stems or leaves which may tend to adhere thereto so as to Create a slippery condition of the tracks.

that I claim is:

l. A railwa57 weed cutter comprising in combination with a oar a blade-carrying,` arm mounted on the ear, a track-engaging lip depending from the lower end of said arm, and a blade secured to and projeotin3 laterally from the said arm near the lower ond thereof.

2. A railway weed cutter comprising in combination with-a ear a blade-carrying arm i mounted on the car7 a socket secured around the lower end of said arm and having a de- J pending track-engaging guiding` lip, and a blade secured to said arm near the lower end i thereof and projecting laterally therefrom. i In testimony whereof alii; my signature l in presence of two witnesses. l VCKLFF M. BRODY.

lVitnesses J. E. WHEELER, H. H. Rooms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .'Eatents, Washington, D. C. 

